1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to plastic folders and, more particularly, to plastic folders for carrying paper and records.
2. Related Art
WO 90/04524 discloses a plastic folder for holding sheets of paper. The plastic folder disclosed therein includes joined areas, or welds, for connecting a front side and a back side in the vicinity of the margin of a sheet of paper held within the folder. Further, the folder includes cuts adjacent to the joined areas in order to allow the interval between the joined areas to vary while allowing the sheets held in the folder to remain flat. However, this reference only discloses one fold line along the spine between the front and back sides. Thus, when either the front or back side is opened, it places a stress on the joined area, as well as tends to bow the folder thereby making it easier for the sheets to come out thereof.
The present invention is designed to overcome the drawbacks of the related art. Further, it is an object of the present invention to more securely, and durably, retain sheets of paper within a plastic folder. In order to improve the paper retention and durability of the plastic folder, an advantageous combination of weld areas and fold lines is used. Further, the shape of the weld areas contributes to improved paper retention, durability, and esthetic appearance of the folder.
In order to achieve the above and other objects and advantages of the invention, a plastic folder, for retaining sheets of paper, includes:
a front cover;
a back cover;
a hinge section between the front cover and the back cover, wherein the hinge section includes a first fold line adjacent the front cover, a second fold line adjacent the back cover, and a third fold line intermediate the first and second fold lines, the third fold line forming a spine so that the front cover is disposed over the back cover and so that the first fold line is over the second fold line, wherein a first hinge portion is disposed between the third fold line and the first fold line, whereas a second hinge portion is disposed between the third fold line and the second fold line;
a first weld area disposed on the hinge section as well as between the spine and the first fold line, wherein the first weld area connects the first portion of the hinge to the second portion of the hinge;
a second weld area disposed on the hinge section as well as between the spine and the first fold line, wherein the second weld area connects the first portion of the hinge to the second portion of the hinge,
wherein the second weld area is disposed at a first distance in the direction of the spine from the first weld area, the first distance being smaller than a length of an edge of a sheet of paper to be disposed along the spine so that the sheet of paper is held within the plastic folder by the first and second weld areas.